


The Echo in the Mirror

by Stimpak



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M, the billdip is implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 17:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stimpak/pseuds/Stimpak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Schizophrenic Dipper AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Echo in the Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> If the plot doesn't seem good, that's ok. I just wanted to test the idea.

No one really paid attention to it at first. Dipper always read mystery and fantasy books as a kid and had an overactive imagination. So, when Dipper came home from the woods around the Mystery Shack claiming to have seen gnomes, everyone thought he was just joking. 

Now, Stanford Pines didn’t have twelve PHDs for nothing, he was a smart man. He had finally come home to Stan after years of arguing and when he met Dipper and Mabel, he began to notice it. Dipper had looked up to Ford from the minute he met him and when he told Ford of the things he had seen, everything had clicked.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
And that brought them to this morning when Dipper had ran into the kitchen where Ford was doing work and put a book on the table. Ford looked up from his work to see an excited Dipper. “What do you have there, Dipper?”

Dipper slid into the chair next to Ford. “It’s my journal! Remember those things I saw in the woods? I recorded all the information into journals so I could show them to you!” The journal that Dipper brought over had a golden three on the cover and looked tattered. Ford picked it up carefully and began looking through it.

Dipper had cataloged all the things he had seen over the years from visiting Gravity Falls. As Ford looked through the journal, he could tell how detailed Dipper had made note of everything. After a few minutes of looking, Ford set the journal down and smiled softly. 

“You did some amazing work recording all this information Dipper!” There was a noise and both males looked up to see Stanley walking into the kitchen. Ford patted Dipper on the back. “Why don’t you go hang out with your sister for now and I promise to look at the other journals later.” Dipper nodded enthusiastically and ran out of the kitchen with the journal tucked into his vest. 

Stan made a huffed noise. “The kid show you his journal? He carries that thing everywhere and always claims that there’s something in the woods.” Ford sighed. “Don’t you recognize what’s going on Stan? It’s so obvious even you could see it.” Stan made a sound in mock hurt. “You think so little of me, Sixer! The kid has an over active imagination, so what?” Ford rolled his eyes and gathered up his work.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A few hours later, Ford met Dipper up in the attic. Dipper had been so excited to show Ford the other journals. Dipper sat on Mabel’s bed as Ford looked over the journals. As Ford was going through the journals, a page caught his eye. “Dipper, who is this?” Ford’s voice startled Dipper a bit and he got up to look at the page. 

“That’s Bill! He’s my friend, kind of, he says that we are but I think he’s lying to me.” Ford looked down at Dippers frantic handwriting about Bill. Most of it was praise on how Bill was such a great friend and teaching Dipper so many new things he didn’t know. “Really? How often do you see…Bill?” Dipper thought about it. “Maybe once every week? He isn’t every consistent with his visits.” Ford nodded.

“What kind of things does he tell you about?” Dipper sat down next to Ford and shifted a bit. “He tells me all kinds of things; the creatures in the woods for the most part, but lately he’ been telling me to watch my back.” The last part of the sentence was mumbled but Ford heard it. Ford set the journal down and stood up. “Thank you for showing this to me Dipper.” He offered up a small smile before heading down the stairs. Dipper watched Ford leave the room and smiled to himself.

“I don’t trust him Pine-tree.” Dipper looked behind him to see the familiar triangular form of Bill. “Don’t trust him? What’s not to trust? Great-uncle Ford is so smart, and he seemed really interested in looking over my journals.” Bill scoffed. “He’s just acting, Pine-tree. You should know better, there’s no one that understands you more than I do.” Bill got closer to Dipper and put a hand on Dipper’s cheek. “I’m all you need, Pine-tree.” Dipper nodded and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Bill was gone.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A few days later, Ford pulled Dipper aside during lunch. “Dipper I need to talk to you.” He led Dipper to his office. “What do you want to talk about, Great-uncle Ford?” Ford sighed and sat down at his desk. “I scheduled an appointment with a psychologist in Portland.” Dipper looked confused. “Why do I need to see a psychologist?” 

Ford looked at Dipper with a soft expression. “After observing your actions the past week or so, I’ve come to the conclusion that you may have schizophrenia.” Dipper froze. “What do you mean, schizophrenia?” Ford pulled out some papers out of his desk. “All those things you wrote down in your journal, they aren’t rue. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes delusions such as the ones you’re having.” 

Dipper stood there and tried to take in the information. “So, it’s all fake? Everything I see is fake?” Ford got up and quickly went over to Dipper. “No, not everything is fake. Just the things you’ve been seeing in the woods and you’re friend, Bill.” Dipper pushed Ford away quickly. “The creatures in the woods may not be real but Bill is!” 

Dipper ran out of the office before Ford could do anything. He ran out of the shack and into the woods, ignoring everyone who tried talking to him. Dipper ran into the forest till he couldn’t run anymore. “Woah Pine-tree, slow down there! You’ll hit a tree or something of you don’t.” Dipper stopped and looked around. “Bill? Is that you?” Bill appeared in front of Dipper in a flash.

“What did I tell you Pine-tree, you shouldn’t trust anyone but me.” Dipper stared at Bill with wide eyes. “Is it true?” He had stepped back a bit. Bill narrowed his eye at Dipper. “Is what true?” Dipper stared at the dirt instead of Bill. “Are you really a delusion?” The words came out softly and uneven. Bill moved quickly in font of Dipper.

“Is that what Sixer said? That I’m not real?” Bill had turned a shade of red. Dipper flinched at the tone Bill was using. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Bill put his hands on Dipper’s cheeks. “Do I feel fake to you?” Dipper shook his head and leaned into Bill’s touch. “No, you don’t.” Bill’s color went back to gold. “Good, so who do you believe now?” Dipper looked up at Bill with wet eyes. “I believe you, Bill.”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dipper came back to the house a few hours later. Stan and Mabel had multiple questions but Dipper ignored them in favor of going up to the attic. When he reached the room, he went straight to his bed and went to sleep.

Ford watched as Dipper went up the attic stairs with a solemn expression. “What’s wrong with Dipper?” Ford looked and saw Mabel looking at him with eyes that showed concern and worry. Ford put a hand on Mabel’s shoulder. “Your brother is going through something difficult and before we could help him, he needs to help himself.” Mabel nodded and rubbed her eyes. Stan stood on her other side and patted her back softly. “Why don’t we go out bowling? You always enjoy kicking my butt at that.” 

Mabel sent a fleeting look towards the attic stairs and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds fun. Grunkle Ford, are you coming too?” Ford shook his head. “No, I have work to do but you have fun. Make sure to score a strike or two for me.” Mabel smiled softly and nodded.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was finally the day of the appointment and so far it wasn’t going well. Dipper refused to get up, which was unusual for him, and kept muttering under his breath during breakfast. Ford suspected that he was talking to Bill but he didn’t want to say anything. 

“I’m done eating.” Dipper got up from the table and put his plate in the sink. He then moved to leave the kitchen but was stopped by Ford. “Don’t wonder to far Dipper, you still have to go to the appointment today.” Dipper nodded and moved past Ford without looking at him.

When it was time to go, Dipper was nowhere to be found. Ford had sent Mabel out to the woods to look for him but she came back with no leads on where to find him. Stan had asked the people of the town if they had seen him but like usual, they were oblivious to everything around them. Ford was in his office when he heard footsteps coming from upstairs.

Ford made his way up to the attic thinking it was Mabel making the sound but instead he found Dipper standing in front of the mirror. “Dipper, everyone is looking for you, it’s time to go.” Dipper didn’t move from his spot and Ford carefully walked over to him. “Dipper? Did you hear me?” He put a hand on Dipper’s shoulder but was quickly pushed away. 

“Don’t come near me! Stay away!” Dipper looked at Ford with fear in his eyes. “Bill says that I can’t trust you! Bill is real and you’re just lying to me!” Dipper took a step back from Ford. “Dipper, you have to listen to me, I’m trying to help.” Ford was trying to keep his voice calm.  
“No you’re not!” Dipper clenched his fist and punched the nearest thing, the mirror. The mirror cracked and there was red everywhere. “Dipper!” Both of the males turned to see Mabel standing at the doorway with a pale face. She rushed over to help but was pushed way by Dipper, leaving blood stains on her light blue sweater. “Stay away from me!” 

Dipper looked around the room and took everything in. Mabel, Ford, the mirror, and the blood on his hands. “I don’t need help! You’re lying to me, you all are! Bill said you can’t be trusted and he was right!” Dipper took off running past Ford and Mabel, down the stairs, and out of the shack. Ford moved to the window and watched Dipper run into the forest, a faint red train following him.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dipper ran till he couldn’t run anymore. When he stopped, he collapsed against a nearby tree and looked at this hand. “You know, that’s going to get infected if you don’t get medical attention, Pine-tree.” Bill appeared in his usual flash of blue flame and looked at Dipper’s hand. “It’s nothing Bill, just a few cuts here and there.” Bill chuckled. “If you say so.” Dipper looked back in the direction he came in. “I can’t go back, Great-uncle Ford will make me go to a psychologist if I do.” Tears began to form in Dipper’s eyes. “I’m afraid that they’re going to make you disappear Bill!” Bill crossed his arms. “I’m not going anywhere Pine-tree, and neither are you.” Dipper looked up at Bill in confusion. “What do you mean?” Bill got close to Dipper and ruffled his hair. “Stay in the woods, Pine-tree. They can’t find you here, no one knows the woods better than you.”

Dipper thought about it. “Yeah, you’re right. Ok, I’ll stay in the woods. I trust you.” Bill sat on Dipper’s shoulder. “Onward Pine-tree! And don’t worry I’ll take good care of you.” Dipper began walking deeper in the woods.

**Author's Note:**

> Writing is a socially acceptable form of Schizophrenia- E. L. Doctorow
> 
> Alternative title(s): Pure Imagination, I Just Sit in Silence


End file.
